A tale of the redeyed ghost
by Bloodypleasures
Summary: In which a girl finds a wounded man and her mother decides to take care of him. Friendship/Family ShellyxSharonxBreak


**An useless story which I wanted to write so badly. Nyaya xD Enjoy it!**

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Shelly Rainsworth was a woman known very well in society. She was wealthy by inheritance from her mother, the strongest and, dare I say, scariest of the four dukes.

This all went combined with the fact that she was a fair lady, looking quite charming with a simple flower dress and her long hair wrapped in a braid. Fortunately she did not have her mother's personality, as she inherited her father's.

Because of all this it wasn't a surprise that she a year after she turned twenty, she announced she was going to get married with the man she loved, and later announced she was going to have a daughter.

Sharon Rainsworth had been born as the perfect image of her mother, and for that she was always praised as a child, and spoilt rotten by her grandmother Cheryl because she inherited her personality, rather than her own mother's.

Shelly smiled faintly when her daughter came walking past her with a fairy-tale book on her head.

"Grandmother says I have to learn proper etiquette."

"I am sure she didn't mean for you to learn it at night. And especially not if you just grew out of the toddler-state."

"I am a lady!"

Shelly chuckled at her daughter's antiques and folded her hands in her lap, distractedly listening as her daughter went on and on about what Cheryl had learnt her that day.

Was it a bad omen for her to think Cheryl didn't have the right influence? Well, Shelly exaggerated. Cheryl educated her too, and she came out fine, she believed.

Of course, even with all the proper etiquette her mother was trying to learn the four-year old, Shelly always had a solution for situations like this. What it was, you ask? Knowledge of her own baby.

"Oh my, look at the time. And I still have to choose between all these dresses for the ball tomorrow. Oh, I suppose I should leave it to the maids…"

"No mommy!" The book had dropped to the ground in an instant and Sharon was at her chair. "You needn't worry, we'll look through them together!"

"But you know how your grandmother thinks about staying up so late."

"But- But-,"

"Perhaps we could keep silent about it… Ah no, we couldn't."

"Yes we can!"

To tease her daughter a little more, Shelly gave a frown and lifted a finger to her face, appearing deep in thought. Her daughter pouted adorably and tried to persuade her with shiny eyes, but the battle had been won before it started.

"Well… okay. But not a word about this to your grandmother!"

"Yes, I won't speak a word."

"Pinky promise?"

Her daughter gave her a big smile and quickly shook her mother's pinky with her own. "Pinky promise!"

Two years had passed uneventfully and Shelly was proud to say her daughter grew up to be a fine lady. Though she was sad the situation wasn't fortunate enough for her to teach her own daughter, she was glad Cheryl took care of it and not some stranger.

Looking away from the rose garden, the one she could hardly recognize because of the snow, close to where she sat, she gave her daughter a smile when said child was running up to her. Her smile eventually dispersed into a somewhat questioning gaze, seeing her little daughter ran quite anxious, her dress tightly in her hands to avoid tripping or slipping on the snowy ground.

"Mommy! I saw a man, a man in the woods!"

That couldn't predict much good. Shelly frowned lightly. "A man? What did he do, dear?"

Sharon took a moment to take a breath. "That's the problem, he seems inanimate!" At this Shelly stood up quickly and called for some servants, following her daughter to the woods.

What she saw made her pull her daughter back quickly, behind the layers of her flowery dress. The scene was quite gruesome and her daughter did not need to see that twice.

"Please bring her back to the mansion, and alert the physician." The servant she addressed nodded and quickly led her daughter away. Ignoring her daughter's faint pleas, Shelly carefully moved around the man, who looked to be no older than a boy.

Judging by his attire he seemed a servant of the sort. Shelly cleared the ground of leaves and kneeled down, ignoring the fact her mother would scold her for the dirty marks. Upon touching the young man's arm, there was a pained groan, and Shelly quickly retracted her hand. Not frightened in the least, she quickly put the cloth she had been wearing around her shoulder around him.

"You will be fine," She said in a comforting manner she used when Sharon was hurt. "Everything is going to be all right."

He didn't seem very comforted by her words, but then again, Shelly wondered if he was coherent enough to hear it. Upon hearing a servant tell her help was on its way, Shelly looked quietly at his face. He was bleeding a lot from one area, but his hair was covering it.

Shelly gasped when she had reached out to brush it away and was met with a bloody, very dirty, and very empty eye socket. What in the worlds has happened to this poor child?  
Some difficulties and an hour later, Shelly was at his bedside while the physician finished up bandaging. It was a lot easier to look at him with the bandage covering the wounds, especially the one on his face.

Hoping it would add some comfort to his dreams, Shelly softly stroked his hair. Where had this boy come from? She should ask the other three Dukes whether he was their servant, because his clothes looked quite expensive. He was most likely a servant, born into a family of knights.

"Madame, I think you should rest." A maid, who came to bring some water in case the injured one woke up, advised softly. Shelly sighed, she had not wanted to leave him… and she was also slightly concerned about the tattoo on his chest.

She recognized it as something bad, but couldn't lay her finger on what it was. But it was most definitely something bad.

"I suppose you are right. I will have some tea in my study," The maid nodded and went on her way to bring the order along. Shelly took a last look at the hopeless boy in front of her and stood up, clearing her dress and walking to the door.

As soon as Shelly closed the door, she was met with a very unreasonable face of her seven-year old daughter. Sharon looked absolutely bewildered – but not in a good way. Offering a smile only a mother could, Sharon began to fume quietly.

"I heard you talking with Doctor. Mom, what in the name of the four Dukes are you doing?"

"I do believe I was heading for my study. Care to join me, angel?" Sharon shook her head and followed her mother anyway, silent until they were both inside Shelly's study. After the maids had left obediently, Sharon took a stand close by the window sill.

"Why is that man here?" Oh, when she was acting like this she sounded so much older than the seven years she was. Shelly's eyes shined sad in thought of this before offering another smile.

"He was badly hurt, Sharon."

"Yes, I know, because I found him." Sharon resisted to come over to her mother when said person held out her arms and Shelly chuckled quietly. "But I don't see why he has to stay here until he has healed. There are plenty of good instances to take care of him."

"I'm afraid he might be damaged if we move him. As you must have seen, because you found him, he is in shock and has injuries."

Sharon raised her eyebrows a little and gave her a very baby-like expression (Shelly's heart warmed), before shaking her head, her tiny hands coming up to help her speech.  
"If you put it that way I have no room for protest. When is he going to be healed? He needs to leave soon or the nobles will start talking-"

"Dare I interrupt, angel, but who said he was going to leave?" The next expression her daughter gave her wasn't very baby-like, but more a fish-expression. Shelly raised her eyebrows when she quickly fixed herself. "He is traumatized and in need of a caring hand."

"…So you are going to take care of him? He is not a child anymore."

"Not in appearance no. Sharon, I will leave no room for discussion."

"And this is exactly why Grandmother refuses me to spend so much time with you! You act improper!"

Did her mother really say that to her own child? Shelly looked hurt, and Sharon winced from it, but she didn't apologize to her mother.

"Mother, if you take care of him – in other words raise him until he's capable again… imagine what the Dukes would say. You raising a complete stranger? It is disgraceful."

"You, young lady, are not to tell me what is disgraceful or not, seeing you are not even capable of dancing the waltz." Shelly sharply commented. "Now either you will suck in your pride as your grandmother's student and you will act like the girl I have tried to raise you to be, or I will make sure you never get to see any of your friends again in order to teach you some _proper _etiquettes. Is that understood?"

Sharon had become teary-eyed during the lecture and bit her lip, looking away. In a moment like this she wanted to act like the child she was, but her Grandmother didn't approve. She repeated that over and over again until her mother enveloped her in her arms and comfortingly hushed her crying.

"Now tell me what has made you so edgy."

It took a while before he heard small stuttering. "He-he… l-looked so… and he k-k-kept groaning so p-painfully. And I d-didn't know what t-to do, I j-just stared at-at him for a while!" Sharon sobbed out on her mother shoulder, and Shelly rubbed her back gently.

"You did the right thing, Sharon. You saved his life. That is very honorable of you."

"B-But he l-looked so f-frightened m-mommy!"

"I know sweetheart, I know. He, and you, are going to be just fine."

"W-What did t-this to him?"

Shelly did not reply because she did not knew the answer, and therefore could not offer a soothing reply to her only child. Looking outside quietly, she wondered what indeed did that to the boy. _It doesn't matter, _Shelly thought while looking at the clouds in the sky._ I won't have it happen to him again.  
_  
Sharon had gone to bed earlier than normal and no one said a word about it. Shelly had spent the rest of the evening talking and evaluating the situation with her mother until a servant walked in and told them they had found nothing dangerous in the woods.

Shelly had been mildly relieved. Her daughter loved nature as much as the princesses in the fairy tales did, and it would be horrendous to deny her daughter that. Still, she had to have an escort from now on.

As Shelly looked at the fireplace that was in her mother's study, she mildly wondered how the boy would be doing, and secretly she thought how he would be doing as her daughter's personal servant. She could use a friendly hand to help her along, aside from her and Cheryl.

She quickly disposed of the thought because she was not done with her mother yet. Cheryl gave a scrutinizing look – she was definitely hard to persuade.

"Mother, if none of the other Dukes recognize him as their own, he is going to stay here."

"Are you sure that is responsible? Look at what harm was caused to the boy. Who knows where his assailant is, and who knows what the boy has done to get harmed like this. You have a little child to worry about."

"I am aware of that, and I am also aware of this mansion's ability to protect our family. We aren't one of the four Dukes for nothing, mother. And you are not weak either." She knew she had her mother by now, as long as she kept the clock-like tattoo a secret… for now. Eventually she'd discover it.

"You are right to believe I will fight with my Chain when it comes to that… but dearest, you should also know I put boundaries. I am still the head of this house until I die or give away my position."

Shelly hid a grim face for the grim thought that Cheryl would give the position to Sharon earlier than to herself. Oh well, Sharon was a responsible and brave girl. But for the love of the Lords, Shelly would have loved some help too, and longingly thought of the father of her child for a mere minute, before disposing of that thought as well.

"Nurse him back to health, Shelly. We will decide later on. For now, I am tired."

"Yes mother. Good night." Shelly left after she kissed her mother's cheek and found herself walking straight to the room where the boy was. She stopped in the midst of the hallway and looked at the wall for a while, not caring if the servant on watch gave her an awkward look.

She had ordered the maids to alert her when he was awake… And she could use this time to tuck Sharon in, or even lie down with her, just to feel her daughter's presence.

But then again, she was really curious. Deciding on doing both, Shelly made a turn to her daughter's room. Upon entering she found Sharon was very much awake and writing in her diary.

"How are you feeling?" Shelly decided on asking. Really, the 'caught' face of her daughter was enough for a reprimand.

Sharon put her diary away and laid back in the many pillows as her mother sat at the bed.

"Fine, I suppose." She tiredly replied and Shelly rubbed her daughter's belly, knowing that even though Sharon always tries to swat her away, she actually loved it.

"Then go to sleep and have sweet dreams. You have to get up early again, tomorrow."

"If I… If I can't sleep-"

"My door is always open, sweet. Now, sleep." Shelly tucked her in and gave her a kiss on her forehead, before putting the candles out and closing the door. She stood outside for a while in case her daughter called for her, but when there was nothing, she moved to the boy's room.

He was still asleep, as she had thought, but had moved slightly. At least he was capable of moving then. Shelly had been momentarily worried that he might be in too much pain.

Sitting down next to him, Shelly slightly went over his face with a wet cloth. She smiled at his scrunched up face when the cold piece suddenly hit him, but fortunately he did not wake up.

"You needn't fear." Shelly spoke softly to no one. "I won't let them get you. Whoever they are."

The next day Shelly was alerted right after lunch time that he had woken up. She was slightly miffed they did not tell her earlier, but then again they were not to disturb their masters because of something insignificant. Shelly had wanted to say this was very important, but she would get scolded by her mother, so she let it be.

It did not surprise her he was out of bed and at the window, looking quite edgy while standing there. He did not look up at her entrance but she knew he was focusing on her very closely. Deciding to be careful, Shelly took her seat by the bed, a fairly good distance from him.

Knowing he had to get used to the situation she kept completely quiet, just like him. He still stared out of the window for a long time, before he turned around and walked back to the bed. Instead of sitting down on it, he grabbed at his side in obvious pain. Shelly, unlike what her motherly instincts told her, did not stood up to help him and watched him carefully. He recovered and eventually sat down on the bed with a sigh.

"Did you sleep well?"

No response. Shelly knew it was going to be a little harder than she had hoped it to be. She decided to be a little more bold and shoved her chair closer to the bed. He tensed visibly, and watched her sternly with his one eye. Shelly shivered when she was remembered to the fact he was always going to have one eye.

"My name is Shelly Rainsworth. Don't hesitate to address me as Shelly."

"I will not, Miss…" He trailed off and Shelly smiled.

"Madame. I was married but my husband has disappeared with unknown reasons." He looked nervous she told him that, and looked away quietly. "Are you feeling all right? You might have a fever, considering you were in the snow."

He was looking out of the window again and looked quite troubled for a second before masking it again. All in all it looked very… sad. She wanted him to feel better, but she didn't know what to do. Sharon had always been very eloquent in what she wanted when she was sad, and her husband… she had had a link with him at the time he was around.

"How can I call you?" There was no response and she wondered if he forgot. Maybe the event that bestowed itself upon him had been too traumatizing. "If you don't remember, can I-"

"I am not demented, Madame." Shelly had been surprised she had been interrupted. So far only her mother had done that, but she didn't reprimand him. He didn't need that right now.

"Very well. I will not force you to tell me. I can see something awful has happened to you. Do you want to tell me about it, so I can help you?"

He was silent and glared at the sheets. Okay then.

"I can either do this gentle, or not so gentle. Which one would you prefer?" Of course it sounded very, very weak coming from her. She was relieved to see the slight twitch of lips at the weak threat but he kept silent. "Then I shall make it simple. Tell me one thing I absolutely need to know about you. Just one thing."

"I wish to be alone, Madame."

Shelly was taken aback. She had expected an answer about allergies or fears, but not a dismissal. Shelly smiled and nodded.

"Very well. I shall have someone send in something to eat for you."

Shelly's smile sure told him there was no room for discussion and he swallowed whatever he had wanted to say. Leaving the room quickly, Shelly stood outside his door, just like she had done with her daughter.

"Knock before you enter his room," Shelly said to herself. She wouldn't want to anger him in any way while he was still recovering.

A few more days have passed since this and Shelly had left him alone, as he had asked her too. After breakfast one morning, Shelly was about to go off for her duties when a maid came up, telling her the boy asked for her. She was mildly surprised and committed truancy from her duties, walking to the boy's room.

Like before, he was at the window, but now he had pulled a chair towards it. Why he was so intent on looking at the gardens was beyond her knowledge, but she had a strange feeling he longed to go outside.

"Are you feeling better?" There was a silence and no movement, before he gave a careful nod, not looking at her. "Do you have something to tell me now?"

"If I am a liability to your duty, than please dispose of me."

"That you must not think. Nursing you back to health is more important to me right now."

He looked at her with confusion and suddenly looked very distant from her. The look he gave her was almost a little disgusted. "You do not know me. I am no relative nor a friend's relative. What reason do you have to not throw me on the streets this very moment?"

Shelly smiled and sat down at the chair beside the bed again, seeing it was her regular spot by now. "As you may not know, I am a mother." Shelly said in a gentle manner and he looked away from her. "And unlike what you think, I see a lost boy in you. You cannot blame my motherly instincts to react on that."

"I am not lost."

"Allow me to rephrase. You are astray." He didn't reply and Shelly was proud at her comeback, but didn't let it show in any way. "You seem like a very nice man."

"I am n-"

"Do not dare lie to me, young man. Who was your master?"

"It does not matter for they are not alive." Ah. So something happened with the family he served for. He was most likely caught up in between – or worse, was the only survivor.

"Do you wish to go outside? It is not as cold as a week ago."

"I wish not."

"Then I suppose I must stroll across the slippery stem myself." She stood up and saw him follow her with his gaze. "Unless you changed your mind."

"I… I fear…" He didn't finish his sentence but it was enough for Shelly to close the door again and walk to the window too.

"I know, boy. You needn't force yourself to tell me."

"Which… can you tell me the four Dukes?"

Shelly raised her eyebrows. The four Dukes? "The Rainsworth Family, the Vesalius Family, The Barma Family and the Nightray Family."

He nodded with a serious look and Shelly wondered why. These had been the Four Dukes for a while now.

"Who is the head of The Vesalius Family?"

"Duke Zai Vesalius."

At this he was more surprised before he suddenly looked very pained. Shelly instinctively reached out for him, but he cringed away from her touch like she was as hot as fire. She took a step back to give him some breathing air, but when he started clawing at his eye, she grabbed his arm.

He wanted to snatch it away but she held it firmly. "Do not touch that if you want to heal it. It will infect." He started trashing a little and Shelly let go of his arm slowly, hoping he didn't make a head start for his eye again. Instead of doing that, both of his hands went up and his arms suddenly covered his face from her view.

"Leave!"

Slightly surprised, Shelly took no rest to leave the room quickly. Outside, she marched over to her daughter's room, only to remember she had classes right now. Changing her destination, Shelly ended up in one of the living rooms. A large dog, Boris, looked up at her hopefully and stood up to follow her around.

Shelly sat down at a couch quickly, keeping very involved with the dog. Boris, who was not used to such attention, decided to enjoy it to the fullest and laid his head on the couch with a content sigh.

"He was shocked to hear Zai Vesalius was the head." Shelly said quietly, attracting attention from the dog as it opened his eyes from its treatment. "Why would he be shocked? Zai Vesalius has been the Duke of the Vesalius Family for over twenty years now."

Rubbing the dog's ears Shelly thought harshly. She knew the solution of this problem was somewhere in her head, but was interrupted when she was called for.

Walking over to the main front door to receive the guests, Shelly had to swallow her shame when she saw it was Rufus Barma. She knew he was coming over for tea and yet completely forgot about it because of the last events.

"My, my, don't you look delightful?" She was happy he wasn't as stiff as her mother often was and sighed sadly. Rufus was the only person she could involve with some of her more personal affairs, especially when they were about her mother. Maybe that was because he and her mother were such close friends.

"I have trouble." Shelly truthfully told when Rufus was let in. He eyed her before giving a servant his coat and hat, and ticked on the ground with his cane lightly.

"I heard from your mother you had taken someone in." Of course her mother would have every reason to immediately telegram her best friend about the last events. Shelly silently scolded her mother and folded her hands.

"I have. He has proved to be quite difficult."

"Do tell me," He said, leading the way to one of main rooms. Shelly told someone to serve them tea before walking along side of him. "Now I know your mother is going to be in here shortly, so make it quick."

Smiling at his words, Shelly nodded. "My Sharon found him in the woods a few days ago. He was heavily wounded and actually missed an eye. We took him back here and bandaged him up… but he seems to be in so much stress. I try to help him with it, but every time I get close he dismisses me."

"Dismisses you?"

"He is confused and I will not aggravate him. I have no idea what to do without hurting him or making him feel unwanted."

"As long as you think your choices are wise, they are. Is he in shock?"

"I believe so."

"Just like animals in shock need warmth and a lot of sleep, he does too. We all know that you can go overboard with your motherly touch, Shelly. He will choose when he wants to loosen up. You needn't wear yourself out about this, or you will not be any good to both of you."

Shelly slightly pouted at his words. Of course he was right, but she had rather heard some advice.

"How is Sharon doing?"

"She is shocked from last events but otherwise doing just great."

"Ah, Rufus, how nice to see you!" Shelly straightened as soon as her mother came in with her wheelchair. Rufus smiled his rare smile and bent down to kiss her hand in greeting. Shelly excused herself, knowing Sharon had some free time now.

**X-X-X-X**

Sharon looked at the door. She felt so curious. Surely he did not look as horrible as he did before, right?

Hoping he was asleep, Sharon quietly opened the door. He was not in bed and for that she had wanted to close the door and run away, but curiosity got the better of her and she quickly opened the door wider.

She spotted him sitting on the seat next to the window and he was gazing out of it. His hand was absentmindedly moving around his face and Sharon took a step in.

"Good afternoon." Sharon formally tried and she did not get a reaction. Miffed by this, Sharon walked forward, gaining more courage.

"Are you- What are you doing?" Sharon suddenly shrieked, making him look at her with his singly eye. Sharon gaped at the bloody trails coming down from the left side of his face.

"That needs to heal!" Sharon quickly said, pulling his arm away from his face and he sharply took his arm back from her grasp, looking at her wide-eyed. "It hurts, does it not? Then you should let it be. It will heal and stop hurting! I promise!"

He eyed her seriously and seemed to be thinking before he shook his head, part of his hair falling over the bloody bandage. Sharon looked back, wondering whether or not he was going to talk. He did not lose his voice too, did he? That would be even more horrendous!

"You needn't concern." He said dismissingly and Sharon raised her eyebrows.

"Excuse me, but as your savior I need to." He looked genuinely surprised by this but didn't speak back to her. At his gaze, which turned more intense, Sharon shivered. This was a bad idea. "I-I will call the physician."

With that she left quickly, feeling his eyes on her back until she left the room to fetch someone. As soon as she had told a servant of the situation, she felt more easy to walk around. Her mother must be searching for her by now. Usually Sharon would come and have tea with her when Grandmother was not teaching her, so…

She wondered what her mother was going to do with the boy. She had been eavesdropping last time her mother went to him, and was quite ashamed of it. But as she had explained earlier, she was curious. She was quite offended with the way he treated her mother, after all she had done for him. She must go through so much trouble taking care of him, and he is not even grateful!

She should teach him some manners when her mother would not notice, because she would hate for her mother to be sad. Sharon was determined to believe, and had every right to believe, that her mother was the most caring and gentle person in the world. She would try a burglar when she got the chance, and protect her loved ones while at it. All in all, she was an amazing woman. Sharon hoped to be just like her… with some of her Grandmother into it.

When she did not find her mother in the hallways, Sharon settled on looking around the floor she had most rooms in. She longed to go into the play room and look around, touch the toys she had played with when she was younger.

Secretly she longed to still play with them, like a lot of girls she knew did, but she knew she had to be more mature than that. Her Grandmother undoubtedly wanted her to take the place as Duchess later on.

Even though Sharon thought it was unfair to let Shelly out of this noble place, she knew why her Grandmother chose herself over Shelly. Sharon was more controlled in emotions and more proper around situations, even at a mere seven year old.

But still, Sharon longed to play with her dolls, her mother, the servants and lie in her mother's arms at night.

"Hey sweet." Sharon looked up from one of her dolls with long blonde hair to see her mother in the doorway, looking at her lovingly.

"Hey mommy."

"How was your day?"

"It has been well. And yours?"

"Tiring, but good nonetheless. That's Elisabeth, right?"

"No, this is Emma. That one is Elisabeth."

"Oh my. They are twins for a reason."

Sharon smiled and took the identical dolls in both hands, studying them before explaining to her mother how to tell the difference, for probably the tenth time. Her mother walked over to her and sat down next to her, the many layers of her blue dress taking in a lot of space.

Sharon let the dolls lie on the ground again and lied down quietly, her head on her mother's lap, and felt content to feel her mother's hand of her head.

"I went to see him today," Sharon confessed, knowing her mother suspected such a thing. "He was touching his injury. I… told him to stop."

"Good."

Sharon smiled and looked up at her mother from upside down. "Mom, what is his name?"

"I have not asked yet. He seems fine with me calling him boy."

Sharon chuckled quietly along her mother until her mother grinned treacherously, bent forward, and starting tickling her daughter. Sharon shrieked at the attack and tried to whine her way out of it, before she couldn't hold her laughter and tried to roll out of her mother's grasp.

Of course this was futile due to her dress and her size compared to her mother's. Eventually Shelly decided they were too loud and released her daughter. Sharon took a few big breaths to calm down and smiled brightly over to her mother.

She missed her dearly, but she could not wish for some wench life. Realizing this, Sharon sat up and fixed her hair quickly.

"Rufus is here, if you want to see him. He probably has something for you." Shelly said secretly and Sharon nodded. They all knew Rufus had a thing for Cheryl, and it was a common joke between the family. Of course this meant Rufus felt dear to Shelly and Sharon too, or at least tried to make it seem that way.

**X-X-X-X**

Another week passed by uneventful. Shelly visited the boy a few more times before she had to go on a small trip with her grandmother, leaving the boy in Sharon's care. When she had returned her daughter had declared she definitely did not like the boy and refused to take care of him again, but Shelly knew better, for Sharon visited him a lot when Shelly did and asked about him.

She had spent a few more days in the library trying to find something that could possibly help the boy's situation but had found nothing so far yet. Shelly had went over every section and was forced to enter the section that belonged to her mother, the one that had books from the organization Pandora in it.

As a child Shelly was not allowed to come even close to this department, but as adult she can. She just never had felt obliged or interested in Pandora's business, seeing she did not plan to work along with them or become the future Duchess.

Just like she had thought most of the information had been quite boring, though she intensively read the ones with the subjects of Legal contractors. Her mother was one, and no doubt Sharon was going to be one. She wanted to be able to help her daughter.

She had known about the Owl and her Grandmother's wish to make Eques the Chain of Sharon, so read through those sections carefully. Deciding to take some of the books with her, she placed them on the table and went on searching.

She sighed. "Beings from the Abyss that were at one point human, transformed by the Abyss. Must sign a contract with a human in order to leave, and can consume humans when the contract proves to be illegal. Why on earth would someone want an illegal contract?" Shelly said to herself while looking at the book cases. Her mother had taught her about the Abyss a while ago and the only thing she could describe it as was scary.

When her mother realized her daughter never was going to need the information, she stopped teaching about Pandora in whole. Sure Sharon was going to have this same subject when she was ten.

Wait. The Abyss? It was a scary place, according to what she was told. Shelly perked. The Abyss, Abyss… would there actually be any books? Probably not here. The subject had always been very secretive. Even now she was not allowed in her mother's study when someone from Pandora was there, unless her mother gave permission.

But then her mother might have a book about this in her office. Shelly swallowed a lump in her throat. Going against her mother's wishes was like playing with fire itself. But… she really wanted to help the boy. It was only for help. Her aim sanctifies her resources, would it not?

Shelly nodded at herself, and left the library with the books she found. Leaving the books in a servant's care to bring to her room, she went to check where her mother was. It looked like she was still in conversation with Rufus, about something important, seeing she was shooed away.

Shelly quickly wandered up the stairways, trying to not attract any attention while entering her mother's main study. It wouldn't be in the big bookcase. It was way too obvious, way too easy.

Standing at her mother's desk, like she had done a lot when she was little, she began to look over it. She would hide it somewhere, but the drawers were out when she checked them. Nothing but letters and a diary she did not feel the need to look into.

Eventually she turned over some of the cabins until she found something useful. It was a letter, but a very old one it seemed. And from Rufus Barma… so it was about Pandora. Or it was an awkward love letter and she was going to be scarred for live.

Shelly opened it anyway and curiously read through it. Yes, a love letter. Why did her mother keep a love letter?

"Madame?"

Shelly slammed the cabin closed along with its letter and stood up quickly. "Ah, yes?"

The maid looked at her uncertainly. "Your guest is out in the gardens." Shelly wondered why she wouldn't have stopped him, but remembered some incidents. He had been badmouthing everyone in the entire mansion except for those with status, so Shelly could understand why some were quite afraid or unwilling.

She thanked her, before heading out to the gardens too. She quickly took her coat from a servant and denied him putting it on her, as she already walked out of the door. It was chilly, but not freezing.

Shelly looked around for a moment before deciding a direction, and following it. It wasn't too soon she found him, but was glad she did.

"You are going to get sick this way."

He had seen her coming because he was resting on the cold ground. The snow had started to melt away a little and it left a wet surface, but he found a place under the tree it wasn't too dirty. Shelly walked over to him.

After they were silent for a little while, admiring the gardens around them, Shelly folded her hands. "Have you ever contracted a Chain?"

There was a small intake of breath and he couldn't lie to her anymore. An unsure "Yes" followed shortly after. Was it illegal? Maybe the clock-tattoo had something to do with an illegal contract. She was fairly sure it did have something to do with that.

"What was his name?"

"…The White Knight." He answered. He seemed comforted at being outside, Shelly noticed. Maybe because he wasn't confined here in any way. He could run any time he feels like it.  
"My daughter is going to make a contract with Eques when we deem her old enough. Do you know that Chain?"

She looked over to him and saw his curt shook of head. At least he had responded until now. Shelly smiled slightly and wished she could sit down next to her, but it would damage her dress.

"Why have you contracted The White Knight?" Again he looked very pained and Shelly resisted from reaching out like she had done too many times before. He did not like to be touched right now. Fine, different approach.

"It is tiring to refer to you as boy… How can I call you?"

"I disposed of my name."

"Then inform me of your new name." The look on his face told her he hadn't picked one out yet and she smiled. "I can help you with it, if you'd want." When he looked up to her, Shelly got a little bolder, and ushered him to stand up. Once he did, Shelly wrung her arm around his.

He tensed immediately and she felt he wanted to pull away, but she pulled him along for a stroll. Eventually, after some hard staring and some minor tugging, he gave up and his walk seemed to be a little stronger.

"If you want me to, I can name you. But if you do, I want you to live here for now. You can be my personal servant. In addition for you, you can search for the answers and solutions you need to find to soothe your ache."

His gaze darkened slightly and Shelly hoped he was considering it.

"I will help you with this. But I want you to answer me one thing if you accept."

"What may this be?" He asked quietly, curiosity noticeable in his voice. Shelly loosened her grip slightly so he would not be forced when she asked this.

"I want to hear everything you know about the Abyss. And do not dare to lie to me, boy."

He looked shocked and as expected, pulled himself away from her. Shelly looked at him neutrally, watching him quickly make his leave.

So he had something to do with the Abyss after all. Just as her plan had been working until now, Shelly walked over to his room later that night, relieved he was in there and hadn't wandered off.

Upon seeing her, she watched his expressions change multiple times from anger, to surprise and back to confusion, before it settled on complete exhaustion.

"They… I… have… been stuck in the Abyss…" He looked around wildly for a while before closing his eye. "For I believe about thirty years."

Shelly gaped at first, before regaining her composure. Thirty years? He doesn't look older than twenty! How can he possibly be stuck in the Abyss for thirty years!

"Time there is different from time here. I felt I have been in there for maybe an hour or two." He explained curtly, with disdain is his voice. Shelly did not know if it was for her, for himself, or for someone else. "Do you know… The Sinclair family?" He asked quietly and Shelly thought for a while.

"I think I heard something about a burglar killing the entire family." She was about to ask why when his face suddenly changed drastically. Oh. Was he…

"Entire? All of them?"

Seeing his face, Shelly desperately wanted to say that no one died at all. Did this mean he was their servant?

"I…I did something horrible." He said with a shaky voice. "Horrible."

Shelly nodded with wide eyes and stood perfectly still while he marched about the room. One of his hands was in his hairs as if he was not believing what he said, not believing something horrible had been done by him, but it had, and it destroyed him from the inside. He made a cracked sound and suddenly started laughing.

"I killed them all. Even Emily. Haha, even her. All of them! I was so selfish. Haha… ahaha…" Shelly had been momentarily spooked by this, but knew he wasn't the burglar that killed them all. It was obvious he cared for them, so maybe he was their servant at the time. But that had been so long ago? Shelly had been a child! She sucked it in and waited for him to ride it out, whatever sort of attack he was having.

"If I never… she wouldn't have died. She was fine with only me. Hahaha, I killed her too! I…killed so many…" He fell to his knees. "I… killed her too." Shelly closed her eyes as she was met with a strangled sob. She felt pained not to be able to held him close to her, but if she knew a thing or two about men, it was that you should close your eyes when they cry.

Shelly completely dropped that etiquette taught by her mother when the boy started making more strangled sounds, in despair. She dropped to her knees beside him and held him in her arms, relieved he didn't fight back. He didn't hold her but allowed himself to be held.

"She wanted me to help her! She didn't want to be alone! I killed her, I killed her, I killed her," He repeated it like a tantrum and Shelly stroked his hair to quiet him down.

After a while it seemed he was done, but he made no move to stand up. Shelly pulled away a little to look at him, but was surprised when he suddenly clutched at her dress.

"Help me." He said in a very low voice, burying his face in her dress. Shelly was slightly taken aback, but she had opened herself up as a motherly figure for him. Now she had to continue acting like that.

Shelly had given him an entire month to become accustomed to his surroundings, his new position and the fact Shelly was acting like his guardian.

After a while he had decided to take on the function properly and started following her around unless she asked otherwise, or when she was retiring. Happy that the boy had opened up to her so much, Shelly tried to involve him in her life as much as she could, including tea time.

"Sharon," Shelly called when her daughter walked in and suspiciously looked at her mother's new servant. They had met a few more times but hadn't been very interacting with him at all. Now that they both decided on a good name, Shelly thought it was time to introduce them more properly.

"From now on, he is going to be my personal servant."

Sharon looked him up and down. "What is your name?"

He was silent for a while, but when Shelly smiled at him he was encouraged enough. "Xerxes Break, my Lady."

Sharon raised her eyebrows. "Well then. It is a pleasure to have you."

"The pleasure is all mine, my Lady." This conjured a smile on her face and Sharon sat down on the table along with her mother.

And so everything had gone perfect for a few years. Shelly had eventually discovered more things than she had wanted to know about the boy, but was happy to say he was relieved with telling it to someone… Even though she still did not understand how the Abyss worked. He had never offered to explain it, and only said once that it was a very gruesome place.

It had only been two years after his arrival that Pandora headquarters asked him to contract Mad Hatter. They saw he had potential at being a contractor and that he had enough mental power to control one. Shelly had been against it, but he had agreed nonetheless. He seemed happy, working at Pandora for a few hours.

This had continued normally until the first few times he was ordered to use said Chain. Shelly had never been there when it happened, except for one time. She hoped it had not been happening any more than this, because it was unnerving to see him collapse in front of so many people. It was not likely of him, even if he stood up directly after that.

When her mother or Rufus Barma used their Chains, they never showed weakness afterwards. Her mother had once complained about feeling tired – but that was all.

Shelly had a small feeling of déjà vu while standing in front of her servants' room. She hadn't felt this worried about the boy in a while. Sure he had been hurt a few times, but always with a teasing glint and comforting words.

How he had collapsed in front of so many people… that was not very likely of him. Shelly sighed and knocked his door before entering. He still had the same room as a few years ago. He had opted for a simpler room, but she insisted.

It was not like this room had so much more luxury than the other servant's quarters, so he could not blame her for it.

Xerxes was studying a book when she came in and did not look up, like he usually did. He was a lot more comfortable when he was alone with someone, and tended to act very formal when others were around.

Shelly hated to say she got very attached to the boy. Even so that she sometimes would force him on her daughter, so Sharon might want him as her personal servant when Cheryl would forcibly choose a different one for Shelly. She knew the two liked each other as they themselves did – even though the boy had a mischievous air around himself, he was social, honest and had humor.

At least she thought they liked each other, because Xerxes was not showing any displeasure when Sharon forced him to play with her dolls, or tell her stories.

"Xerxes."

He looked up at the call and studied his Madame. She continued with a smile and sat down on a chair.

"How are you feeling?"

"I am tired, but otherwise perfectly fine, Madame." Shelly raised an eyebrow and looked at his face carefully. She knew he had internal damage done, so it she could not see any evidence.

"The contract is a lot less painful when it is legal." Shelly breathed out slowly when she was remembered with that fact.

"That might be so, but you should still be careful. It is not normal for a contractor to collapse so easily under the power of his chain."

"Mad Hatter is stubborn at the least."

"Then you should tell him to behave or I will personally make sure he does." Xerxes grinned slightly and stood up quickly when she did too. "I expect you in my study before dinner then, if you feel so magnificent. I need to prepare for my journey." He nodded.

"Who are you going to bring, if you do not mind me ask?"

Shelly smiled. "My grandmother has selected a few. Of course she needs to nag me even when I am not here – forget I said that, though." He chuckled.

"Then I shall await your return."

They bid goodbye and Shelly went to her daughter's room. Now that she was eleven years old, she had turned much more into a lady and spent much less time with her mother – but Shelly knew she had to undergo the same when she was as old as her. It only made her wonder how the children in the other Duchies were doing, but soon remembered poor Oz and little Ada.

It wasn't much of a difference then.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Sharon had refused to bid her mother goodbye in the gardens, and settled for gazing out of the window with a fairly irritated smile. She knew her mother had to go because it was for business and her grandmother was too old… but she had wanted to go.

If she was not there, who was going to assure that her mother behaved proper? Sighing at her stupid thoughts, Sharon longingly watched the carriage ride away. Her mother had sweetly smiled up at the window and she had not hid herself, but kept on gazing neutrally.

She wanted to go so badly. But her grandmother had not allowed it. Of course her mother would have absolutely no objections towards her daughter's wish… but Cheryl would have.  
"Cheer up, my Lady. She will return in two months."

"Those are eight weeks too long for me. I hope she does not think horribly of me now."

Xerxes eyed her closely as she walked away from the window and sat down at the chair in her mother's study.

"She could not think horrible of you." He smirked. "But I believe you are aware of that."

Sharon raised her eyebrows. Did he mean she was spoilt? A mommy-girl? Wanting to snap back at him, she remembered her standards and settled for a tiny huff. His growing smirk enraged her even more.

"Xerx-nii, tell me a story." Sharon eventually said, feeling quite bored. Her piano lessons would not start until half an hour later, and to drink more tea… No, not an option.

"About what, my Lady? I know no romance stories, if I may."

Sharon blushed brightly. How did he know? He hadn't been snooping around in her room, had he? He wasn't a maid and did not have to clean!

"Your maid wanted to give the book to your mother. I intercepted it on time. I apologize if I am bold, but are you not a little young for stories like those?"

Sharon glared him down until he looked away with a tiny smile and she blushed even harder. This was so unladylike! But, she couldn't help it! Those romance stories were much, much better than the children books she had been offered. There was more story, it went deeper and it had such beautiful scenes – she could get water in her eyes from the mere memory!

"I… You are to keep quiet about this."

"Of course, my Lady."

At his promising look, Sharon relaxed a little. Even if she had done something outrageous, she could trust him to keep it a secret for her. Unlike how she acted towards him sometimes, she actually loved him very much – thus the reason she sometimes called him Xerx-nii.

Eventually he sat down in front of her and rested his head on her his hands.

"Fine then. How about I tell you a story about a poor woman who found love in meeting a handsome knight?"

"It sounds very corny, so make it good." Even though she was eleven and not supposed to love 'bed-time' stories, she loved the way he and her mother could tell them. With her mother they were always painfully cute (but cute nonetheless) and Sharon would forget any hardship at the moment. With Xerxes they had an air of tension, an exciting one at that, even though it was nothing perverse.

Sharon had been free of any classes as soon as her grandmother announced she was going to the Barma residence for the rest of the day. Normally Sharon would spent the day with her mother, but seeing she wasn't here at the moment…

Sharon sighed and resorted to entering Xerxes' room, sitting down on a chair as soon as she did. He didn't look surprised at all and she figured it had something to do with that awkward ability of him knowing things. She also swore he disappeared in a closet once when they were playing hide-and-seek.

She was certain she saw him going into the closet, and felt such triumph that she opened it immediately. But he had not been there. It infuriated her and all he did about it was smiling!

"So… how is Mad Hatter doing?" Sharon asked quietly. She had been wondering about it for a while. Xerxes himself said that he was fine, but Sharon never quite understood the bond between a contractor and a Chain. It was only a few more years before she was going into a contract too. And now that she had just turned ten years, she felt like she deserved some more information.

"He is well, and praises you for asking." Xerxes said amusingly and Sharon gave him an annoyed expression for joking. "But if I must be honest, we do not communicate as much."

"Is that normal?"

He looked as if he wanted to tell something, but decided to leave it unknown, which bothered Sharon. If he had something to say, he should say it.

"Is he hurting you, like he did before?"

"The pain is quite bearable this time."

Sharon squinted lightly. Sometimes he would do this. Give her minor hints, tips. She knew her mother didn't want Sharon involved in any of Xerxes' past or Pandora's business. But he did give her subtle hints. This time it is bearable… did that mean he had a contract before, that had more pain?

Did it punctuate he had felt the pain from an illegal contract? Oh, she wanted to ask him so many questions! But she couldn't be so direct.

Because her grandmother would be gone for at least two days, Sharon, who had refused Xerxes' proposal that he'd teach her (he knew an awful lot about etiquette as well), and decided they should go out for some shopping the next day.

Knowing she would get more done when she brought Xerxes, she did just that and Sharon was happy he had also decided to sit with her in the carriage and not out front. The day had been uneventful as usual, Sharon purchasing few things for her and her mother as a returning gift. After she had bought something without Xerxes' presence, she decided she was tired and they had returned to the mansion after they had lunch.

After that, Sharon had been entertained with the maids for quite a while as they offered to play a new game with her, helped her into a new dress when she got her own dirty, and Sharon had scurried of to find Xerxes again. She found him in her mother's study, which was not strange because he often went there to read or write for Pandora. Shelly had requested for him to have his own study, but it was not quite done yet.

" Xerxes." Sharon called and he looked away from the desk and looked at her expectantly. Sharon frowned. He was distracted so often again. "I have a gift for you."

"That is certainly not necessary, my Lady." He said humbly, though Sharon already spotted the small hint of curiosity. She smiled lightly and stood up to walk over to the bag behind her, pulling something out.

When she had handed it to him he looked quite unsure what to do. "People usually unwrap their presents." Sharon advised and he took it even though it was a stupid advice.  
To say he looked shocked was an understatement, but Sharon knew he would like it. Even if he did not now, he would grow on it.

"I saw you looking at it when we were out shopping… and it seemed to be you wanted it."

"It was not for sale, my Lady."

"I know." Sharon curtly responded. Being the granddaughter of the Rainsworth Duchess certainly had his advantages. Suddenly his expression softened a great deal and he smiled at her. Sharon blinked unsurely and tried to ignore the happy feeling in her stomach – that she made _him_ happy.

"Are you going to give it a name?" Sharon asked quietly when he observed the doll in his hands. He looked at her with a weird expression and Sharon blushed embarrassedly. "I mean! When I received dolls as gifts I always gave them a name. Like Elisabeth, or Emma, or Lilith,"

"Kimberley, Theodora, Anna-Beth, Mary-Kathleen, Marianne, Francine," He went on for her and Sharon resisted throwing her fan at him. Of course he knew them all by name. How embarrassing!

He smiled sweetly again and ran his fingers through the doll's horribly long hair. "Emily, then."

"Emily?"

Sharon was once met with one of his more intense gazes and immediately understood it had something to do with his past. For some reason she felt as if he remembered someone in her too – because he seemed to care for her as much as he did for Shelly.

Sharon hadn't always been nice to him so she would've thought he was only polite because she was Shelly's daughter. But he genuinely seemed to want to make her happy as well, and it confused Sharon for a while, before she figured he might've tried to… forget a problem with acting nice to her, as if he was atoning for something he did.

The following week had passed by quickly. Sharon was displeased to see her grandmother return and she had to follow classes again. She was quite happy spending time with Xerxes, and was about to announce that, when her grandmother scolded her and said that Xerxes had been laying off his work for Pandora to spent time with her.

Sharon had felt guilty about such a thing and decided to leave him alone for a few more days, before finding him and asking him to help her with her piano lessons. They were interrupted with a maid telling them the tailor was there.

Her grandmother was hosting a party soon and Sharon wanted a new dress, once she figured she did not have any purple or pink colored dresses. Sharon seemed much more excited by this and quickly discarded the piano, remembering not to run when Xerxes gave her a pointed look.

"I shall be in the library if you need me," He said politely and Sharon turned immediately, grabbing his sleeve. He raised his eyebrow and Sharon quickly released him with a cough.  
"Mother is not here to help me with the fabrics and colors…" Sharon said shyly and he grinned teasingly at her.

"Then maybe I should ask the tailor to come back in a month?"

"No, that would be too much trouble!" She immediately exclaimed, knowing they had the best tailor, and the best tailor was very busy.

"I suppose I can be of help, my Lady?"

"If you will…"

At his coy grin Sharon glared profoundly at him, before turning and walking off. Knowing he had no other choice, he followed her to her own room where they were met with the tailor. Xerxes had been there with Shelly more often so he did not receive any strange glances at all.

He had just started to wonder off with his thoughts after many minutes of the two women talking about fashion and colors and details, when Sharon caught his attention.

"I'd say purple, my Lady." He said with one glance to the colors. Pink was too sweet for someone as his Lady, but that was not something he'd say aloud if he wished to avoid her wrath. He resisted to wince when he remembered the day he'd commented on how a boy had been looking at her the entire time and she'd hit him with her fan.

"Purple?" Sharon asked unsurely, holding both fabrics in front of her at the mirror. Xerxes studied a little longer when he heard her question and when he nodded.

"It definitely suits you better, my Lady." More he couldn't give without telling her Pink wasn't anything for her at all. Luckily she seemed satisfied, judging by the happy look, and he was done with that subject.

**X-X-X-X-X**

Like many, many other times since Xerxes had been given an office, Xerxes had just been quarreling with Liam about his paperwork (which Xerxes pretended didn't exist) when Liam had eventually gave in and decided he'd do half for him.

With an ominous chuckle Xerxes decided he wouldn't do anything at all, because he knew Liam would do it all anyway. He really would have to do something for his best friend though, because he wasn't sure how long Liam was going to do things for him when he didn't feel like it.

He strolled along the hallways before meeting a rather surprising sight.

"Madame?" He asked fondly when he was met with the sight that was his mistress, Shelly Rainsworth. Shelly looked rather relieved upon seeing it and he released a smile knowing why – she didn't feel comfortable here at all.

"Might I inquire what you are doing here today?" He asked once he had walked up to her and gave a curt head-nod in respect. Shelly looked irritated and nodded at her own mother for response.

Cheryl didn't pay the man any mind – she usually didn't pay him mind so, it didn't matter – and Shelly sighed.

"They want Sharon to contract a Chain already."

"Sharon is capable of doing so and we can't wait much longer."

That was enough of an explanation. Xerxes knew it had something to do with the young Vesalius' coming-of-age ceremony. It had went horribly wrong, and the young master had been pulled into the Abyss. He was likely to get out once he contracted the Chain that had appeared next to him (he believe the name was B-Rabbit), but what would take him an hour could take them five years.

Shelly glared lightly at the ground. "She is thirteen. It was decided she would contract Eques when she was sixteen or seventeen! She is too young!"

"We have no other choice. Don't let your emotions get the better of you."

"They are getting the better of me!" Xerxes kept quiet at his mistress' outburst. "I do not wish for my daughter to… to be thirteen her entire life! What life would she lead?"

"A good life, if she behaves like we raised her."

"Like you raised her, you mean! Mother, be reasonable." At her mother's look Shelly nearly burst out in tears. She felt like a little child getting reprimanded again. Xerxes cleared his throat when Shelly looked at him for help – clearly because she knew that Xerxes had more knowledge from Pandora.

"If I may be bold, Madame… We are not certain when the young Master Oz is going to return from the Abyss. It could very well be twenty or thirty years. It was an agreement that Lady Sharon had to contract Eques at least five years before his return."

Cheryl narrowed her eyes at him and he stood his ground firmly. "And when will you know how many years it is going to take him?"

Honestly, he had no idea. His Chain Mad Hatter had absolutely no advantage to these kind of things.

"Please give us another week to investigate, Madame." Liam jumped in when he noticed his friend having trouble with the family he served under. Xerxes eyed him dryly to which Liam glared.

Cheryl, seeing that more members of Pandora thought this way, sighed in consideration. "Fine. One week."

Shelly looked at him gratefully before leaving with her mother, and Xerxes sighed. Liam narrowed his eyes.

"At least you'll be able to train her, right?"

"I'm not too sure about that."

As the heavens would have it, the week went by quickly and the date that Sharon would be contracted to Eques, a week later, was set. Even though Break wasn't allowed to come at the ceremony, he anxiously kept waiting for news.

He had tried communicating to Mad Hatter about this Eques, but his Chain was not very willing to give any information – or talk at all. Just his luck with getting a hat for a chain. According to Liam, Eques was a pretty polite chain, so he'd have to believe his word for it.

Wondering whether or not he would be receiving information that same day, he finished work and closed his office, going out for a drink with Liam before heading home.

His Madame was already home and looking rather distressed – he did not know from what though. It could be from an unfortunate ceremony or the fact her daughter will always remain thirteen. Probably the latter.

"Madame." Xerxes greeted, letting his appearance me known. Shelly nodded with a weak smile and moved her hands over the layers of her dress to smoothen them out.

"I think I am going to make a trip." Shelly said, looking at the wall in thought. "I mean, I am of little use here now since you and mother are going to be training Sharon. I might as well take a rest…"

"If you think it best. Where to?"

Shelly sighed. "I have not figured that out yet. Somewhere sunny, I suppose."

Xerxes sat down as well to chat a little with his Madame, before he went to see if Sharon needed anything. Now his Madame did not need anything, he should check his young lady, to see if she needed anything.

Surprisingly, she was not in her room as he had thought she was – but he could have known she would recover fast. He did too, and the girl was very strong willed.

Slowly going off the list of places she would go to in his mind, he ended up in his own home-office and was pleased to see her snuffling about in his books. She looked up with surprise once the door opened and hung her head guiltily.

"How are things with you… and Eques?" He might as well act polite to the Chain, seeing Chains always stuck around for the first few days. Sharon smiled at the acknowledgement.

"We are both doing fine, thank you. We need to train a lot though. Grandmother was informed of a change of energy in the Abyss. Do you know what it could mean?"

"Perhaps. It is classified though. I'm sorry Milady."

"It doesn't matter. I could always guess without you getting into trouble! It must be some activity from master Oz, right? I wonder if he contracted someone."

Doubting a little, Xerxes looked at his young lady and cleared his throat, ridding it of the nasty taste. Of all times…

"That is most likely."

"I hope it's soon. I don't like to be training for something that may never happen. I do not like training at all." Xerxes smiled at the thirteen year old girl.

"It could very well take another twenty years though."

"Yes, I know. Difference in the times."

After that, ten years went by quickly, but not without trouble. Sharon found Xerxes to be an excellent candidate for a servant, and as someone who could advise and help her. And in return, Xerxes was allowed to mercilessly tease her about the blonde boy who talked so affectionately to his young Lady.

* * *

**I'm sorry if the ending seemed abrupt.. but all the things that happened after this should be clear or are explained in the manga/anime so I felt no desire to write anymore T.T Also, I started on this a long time ago and ended it recently - I don't have any inspiration for it o3o I also hope I portrayed Shelly nicely :D **

**R&R! :D**


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